NBC Nightly News with Tom Llamas - Thursday, March 26, 2026

Episode Date: March 27, 2026

How Savannah Guthrie navigated the terrifying early days of her mom’s kidnapping; Trump says he will sign order to pay TSA workers following weeks of long lines; Trump extends deadline for Iran strikes amid talks; and more on tonight’s broadcast. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Tonight the emotional and raw sit down with our beloved colleague Savannah, her first since her mother was abducted from her home. Savannah detailing the living nightmare of the past few weeks and for the first time sharing new information about the crime scene, including that the back doors were propped open. What she's now saying about the ransom notes, including what she thinks is real, and revealing the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. I said, is everything okay? And she said, no. She said, mom's missing. Savannah opening up about the guilt she's grappling with right now and how her faith is carrying her through this.

Plus, breaking news, President Trump extending the deadline on Iran again before the U.S. attacks the country's key infrastructure. Are the two sides talking and the direct strike in Israel sending this car airborne? Also tonight, Wall Street meltdown markets have. their worst day since the war with Iran began. The NASDAQ in correction territory down 10% from its high. TSA staffing crisis spirals will Congress get a deal done to fund TSA workers to end those painfully long lines before they go on recess tomorrow. The new video just released from the deadly LaGuardia crash, the new vantage point, and what investigators are now looking at. Runway intruder, a man running on the

tarmac after plowing through an airport gate, how he nearly made it on board a plane. The historic change coming to America's money, how the president is making his own mark. Nightly News starts right now. This is NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas. And good evening. She is a beloved colleague to those of us here at NBC News. And for the past seven weeks, we've been covering the tragedy that has hit Savannah Guthrie and her family from the outside.

But today, Savannah herself took us inside, bravely telling her story in her own words with all of its heartache and all of its painful twists. You'll hear how she found out her mother was missing and the realization she had likely been kidnapped. Savannah reveals new details about the crime scene, how the back doors were propped open. And she tells her how to copy that she believes some of those ransom notes were real. And perhaps most striking, she opens up about. the deep pain she feels that her fame may have led to her mother's kidnapping. For those of us who know Savannah, her strength and poise have always been remarkable, but never so much as today. She tells her story with such raw emotion, but also so much bravery, facing the darkest parts of

this tragedy head on while embracing her faith and the hope that her mother will come home. We begin tonight with Savannah Guthrie telling her story, beginning with the moment she first learned her was taken. My sister called me, and I said, is everything okay? And she said, no. She said, mom's missing. And I said, what? What are you talking about?

She said, she's gone. And she was in a panic. I was in a panic. I'm like, call 911. And she's like, I did. We called them. They're here. And we thought that she must have had like some kind of medical episode in the night

and that somehow, you know, the paramedics had come because the back doors were propped open, you know, and that didn't make any sense. We thought maybe they came and there was a stretcher and they took her out the back. But her phone was there and her purse was there and all her things. and it just didn't make any sense. Savannah jumping on a plane, heading straight for Tucson to help find her mom. We were on the phone with the sheriff

and trying to, you know, really make clear as, I mean, from the very early moments, you know, Annie and Tommy were saying, this isn't that case that you are used to where someone wanders off. She can't wander off. My mom, her, she was in. tremendous pain. Her back was very bad.

You know, she was trying to, on a good day, she could walk down to the mailbox and get the mail, but most days not. So there was no wander off. And the doors were robbed-dome-bin. Yeah. And there was blood on the front doorstep. And the ring camera had been yanked off. And her brother had a theory. My siblings are so amazing. My brother, you know, he spent his career in the military and worked in intelligence and a fighter pilot and is brilliant. And he saw very clearly right away what this was. And even on the phone when I called him, he knew. And he said, I think she's been kidnapped.

for ransom. And I said, yeah. What? Well, why? What? And then, I mean, it sounds so like, how dumb could I be,

but I just, I didn't want to believe. I just said, do you think because of me? And I said, I'm sorry, sweetie, but yeah, maybe. But I knew that.

You did? I hope not. I mean, we still don't know. Honestly, we don't know anything. We don't know anything. So I don't know that it's because she's my mom

and somebody thought, oh, that girl, that lady has money. We can make a quick buck. I mean, that would make sense, but we don't know. But yeah, that's probably, which is,

Too much to me. To think that I brought this to her bedside. It's because of me. I'd just say, I'm so sorry, Mommy. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry to my sister and my brother and my kids and my nephew and Tommy. My brother-in-law. I'm like so sorry.

If it is me, I'm so sorry. Savannah, describing the reality she, and her siblings are living in. It is surreal. It's how is it possible that we are having to make a video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84-year-old woman in the dead of night in her pajamas with no shoes without her medicine, this little person, and to beg for mercy.

Then came the demands. Multiple ransom notes sent directly to the media. Did you believe those to be real? There are a lot of different notes, I think, that came. And I think most of them, it's my understanding, are not real. And I didn't see them. But, you know, a person that would send a fake ransom note really has to look deeply at themselves.

Yeah. to a family in pain. But I believe the two notes that we received that we responded to, I tend to believe those are real. Really? When the ring camera video surfaced and you could see who that person was, just tell me what you thought when you saw those images of the person who took your I mean, it's just absolutely terrifying.

Yeah. It's just totally terrifying. And I can't imagine that that is who she saw standing over her bed. I can't. That's too much. And I'm glad and grateful to the investigators and the technology companies that were able to find that video. So do I hope, at least with people of good heart and compassion, stop the irresponsible and cruel speculation that had started to swirl. Let's talk about that for a minute.

I'm glad that people saw what came to our door. When you talk about the cruel speculation, the whispers, the in-yourn't. that it was somebody in your family. How did you weather that? It's unbearable, and it piles pain upon pain. There are no words. There are no words. Understand, I'll never understand.

And no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. And no one protected my mom more than my brother. And we love her, and she's our shining light. She's our matriarch. She's all we have. Through it all, Savannah says she relied on her faith, following her mother's example. Early on, and I heard of one of the very few times in my life. I did hear God speak to me. As I said, to myself, I can handle anything, God.

I can handle anything. I just can't handle not knowing. We can't handle not knowing. Yeah. I have to know. And I heard a voice and it said, you do know where she is. She's with me. She's with me. So whether she is on this earth still or whether she is in heaven, I know where she is.

I know who she's with. But we need to know. So strong. As we all take in that very difficult interview, our Liz Kreutz has been covering this for us since Nancy went missing. And Liz, it was a gut-wrenching interview to watch. And we learned some new details, though, about the investigation. Yeah, Tom, aside from just the heartbreak, some of the things that stood out to me was Savannah saying her mom was taken in her pajamas without her shoes and that the back doors of the home were propped open. That's certainly notable, given that we know that Nancy's

blood was found at the front door. And that's also aware of those images of a suspect showing up. It's notable. She believes that two of those ransom notes are real. We believe those would be the one set to multiple media outlets. And then we also have learned about her mother's medical or physical condition at the time. She said that her mom was in so much pain that it would be a good day if she was able to walk and get her mail talk. And then Liz, one of the toughest parts of that interview was watching Savannah say that family still does not know much about what happened or why. Yeah, I mean, you heard Savannah there point blank say we know nothing. So aside from some of those few details she shared, it seems like what we know, what the investigators have said publicly,

maybe what the family knows as well, which sadly, Tom, is not a lot. All right, those quotes for us. We're going to have more on that interview later in the broadcast, and you can see much more of Savannah's interview with Hoda Friday on today. We have breaking news that is just into our newsroom right now. Just in the past few minutes, President Trump just announced he's signing an emergency order to pay TSA workers even without a funding deal in Congress. It comes after another day of long lines at airports.

And as Congress was on track to go on recent, says tomorrow without a deal. Tom Costello is tracking all of this for us. So Tom, how would this work? Well, I think that's yet to be determined. We are on day 41 here, as you know, of the TSA working without pay. And not only them, Coast Guard as well, we've had three and four hour lines at various airports across the country. And tomorrow, the TSA is expected to miss yet another paycheck. 50,000 of these officers going without pay now for more than a month. And we now have callout rates nationwide of 11% people not showing up to work so they can find another job. So in the last few minutes, the president went on truth social and he said this, I'm going to sign an order

instructing the Secretary of Homeland Security, Mark Wayne Mullen, to immediately pay our TSA agents in order to address this emergency situation and to quickly stop the Democratic chaos at the airports. To be clear, Democrats have blamed Republicans. Republicans have blamed Democrats. This is an emergency order taking unused funds, apparently, to pay. the TSA officers, Tom. And Tom, I know this is just just in, but do we have any idea of how long it could take for them to finally get paid? Not immediately. I will tell you that over the last few days, the talk had been it could take days or even weeks,

keeping in mind that last year, last fall, it took a month for them to receive their back pay, Tom. We hope they can get paid soon. All right, Tom, we thank you for that. We have more breaking news tonight in the war with Iran this time. President Trump saying he'll further pause his deadline to attack. Iranian power plants to give more time for negotiations with the Iranian regime. Gabe Gutierrez is at the White House and Gabe. He's extending that deadline by 10 days. Yes, Tom, the president posting late today, as per Iranian government request, he's now

pausing his deadline to strike Iranian energy plants, as you said, by another 10 days, writing negotiations are going very well, despite ongoing airstrikes throughout the Middle East. Pakistan's acting as an intermediary, though the Iranian force, Minister insists they're not formal negotiations. According to Iranian State TV, the regime rejected the U.S.'s 15-point peace plan. Also today at his first cabinet meeting since the war began, President Trump revealed what he meant when he referred to a present from the Iranians that made him think the new talks were worth it. He now says Iran allowed 10 oil tankers to safely pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The White House has not provided more details about those ships, Tom.

And then, Gabe, today was not a good day for so many 401Ks out there. Uncertainty over the war also hitting Wall Street? Yes, Tom. That uncertainty is helping push the NASDAQ down 10% from its previous high. It's the worst day for the S&P 500 since the war began. And crude oil prices just shot back up around $93 a barrel time. All right, Gabe Gutier, as we thank you, when we return in 60 seconds right here on nightly news, the wild scene on an active runway in Florida.

Look at this, an alleged drunk driver plowing through. through an airport gate, what he tried to do next. We're back now with video from that deadly crash at LaGuardia Airport. New drone video from the NTSB shows the pilots' view as they were landing on their approach. We're also getting the first close-up look. Investigators sorting through wreckage and a giant tangle of debris at the scene before the aircraft was moved. Also tonight, a shocking scene in Florida at Daytona Beach International Airport. Watch as this man runs towards a plane.

Authorities say he rammed his Ford Mustang through the airport. Port Gate, entered the active tarmac, and tried to board an aircraft. Video shows the moment Brian Parker was arrested. Officials say he was intoxicated. He faces a number of charges, including felony trespass. And we're back in a moment with more breaking news. The president, set to become the first to put his own signature on currency. Plus, dramatic new video of a chopper crashing down onto a mountain as it tries to fight a wildfire. How the pilot survived. Look at that. That's next. We're back now with a scary moment caught on video. Take a look at this, a chopper out of Cape Town, South Africa.

You can see it going up the mountainside as it heads to fight a wildfire, but then it crashes down onto the side of the mountain. The pilot is reportedly somehow okay. And this just in tonight, the Treasury Department announcing that President Trump's signature will appear on U.S. paper currency, which is a huge first for a sitting president. Treasury says the move is to mark the country's 250th anniversary, Treasury Secretary Scott Besson's name will appear on currency as well. And when we come back here on nightly news, a closing thought about our friend Savannah.

Before we say goodnight, some thoughts on our friend Savannah Guthrie. The last 54 days have been tough around here, but nothing like what it's been for Savannah and her family. Tonight we saw that raw emotion pour out in her conversation with Hoda. If it was tough to watch, you're not alone. It was tough for all of us. and even tougher for her. You may have never met Savannah, but you feel for her because you actually do know her. She's the same person in real life as she is on TV. And for years, you've trusted her to tell those stories impacting America. And right now, she's telling the hardest story of her life.

And to be so open about her grief, her fear, and her hope at such a vulnerable time should remind you why you've stayed with her for so long. And it's because she is just like all of the us. Many of you have sent me messages or stop me in the street to say, please tell Savannah, we are thinking of her. Savannah knows there are armies of families praying and thinking about her mom. And as you heard her say tonight, her faith is ever strong. So we end tonight, like we started this journey, 54 days ago. If you have any information, please, please call the FBI tip line. The number is on your screen. There are people working to take your call. There is a reward. Most importantly, it is the right thing to do.

That's nightly news for this Thursday. I'm Tom Yamas. Tonight and always, we're here for you.